


His Crimson Eyes

by HazelRoses



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Crack Relationships, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-05-25
Packaged: 2019-04-04 22:38:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HazelRoses/pseuds/HazelRoses
Summary: Sakura couldn't believe she let herself be conned into searching for a dragon of all things. They had been extinct for years. Yet separation from her friends puts her face to face with the creature only heard of in myth. The man who was turned into a dragon as punishment for his evil deeds. The instant they meet, his first instinct is to kill her. To save her life, she immediately offers to assist in freeing him. She didn't realize in the process of the declaration, she renounced her freedom in order to fulfill her promise. As time goes on, Sakura manages to chip away at his cold exterior. There is more to the legend surrounding him than he lets on. When he trusts her enough to show his human form, she realizes there is something strangely familiar about him. As she learns how to use her chakra to make good of her promise, someone else is trying to find the dragon. Sakura will have to choose between sides as the final showdown commences.





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted 10 Jun 2012. Itachi x Sakura AU fantasy story with a modern twist. It is meant to be a short story.

_There were always rumors. Strange ones, ones that made people snicker amongst themselves with amusement. Rumors that raised a few eyebrows or one only whispered about on the dark corners of the streets. However; there was a particular myth beyond the wildest of imaginations; more fantastic than the others combined…_

"You mean to tell me there is a _dragon_ locked in the Forbidden Valley?"

"That's what I'm saying, forehead!"

"… you're an idiot."

Two women leaned back in their chairs; warm green tea perched at their lips. The blonde one took a quick sip before placing her mug down hard, nearly tipping it over in the process. Thin lips pursed into a frown at her best friend. Blue eyes flashing irritably right before she tilted her head to the side in annoyance.

"Whatever Billboard Brow. You know nothing. I _know_ someone who's seen it."

The other female rolled her emerald orbs, stirring more sugar into her green tea. "Let me guess: Uzumaki told you huh Ino?"

Her cheeks tinted, and she toyed with the napkin in her lap. "Why does it matter who told me? Who lies about dragons, Sakura!"

Said woman sighed and rubbed her temples. Why would a dragon dwell in the Forbidden Valley? It remained off limits because of the dangerous cliffs and wild animals that roamed the area. Anyone who entered it never returned, hence why it became impermissible. Still, the list of feral animals did not include a mythical dragon. The dragon’s story entertained children for centuries. Over a thousand years ago, there was a man whose sole purpose included protecting his loved ones. Some parts of the story were lost throughout history, but the story recites this man, a shinobi, found out that his family members were the dangerous ones. They were planning a coup d’état that would kill hundreds of innocents and throw his world into war. With a solemn face, he murdered his entire clan. Angry about the man’s decision to slaughter his clan without consulting him first, the god of Pain transformed him into a dragon, the one creature that breathed fire as hot as the flames the man engulfed his family in. He remains chained inside the cave he poured the blackened ashes in, haunted by the smell of singed flesh and the screams of agony that rang in his ears.

That was all a load of crap. Dragons never appeared before except in medieval shows and books. If they existed, scholars believe they went extinct thousands of years ago. Sakura opened her mouth to say so but her best friend cut her off before she uttered a syllable.

"If there isn't a dragon, why don't you go to Forbidden Valley and see?" Ino gave Sakura a sly smile after picking up one of the slim straws and whirling it in her drink.

Pink brows furrowed. "Why the hell would I go out there?"

The blonde rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly. "To prove dragons don’t exist, duh."

Sakura grew annoyed with her friend’s persistence. She didn't care if a dragon resided in the Forbidden Valley or not. It is _forbidden_ ; therefore, no valid reason for visiting. She said this to her friend who kept the smirk on her face. An awful sensation built in the pit of Sakura's stomach from the look she received.

"What's your problem?" she snapped, taking the last bite of her apple cinnamon muffin.

Ino's bright irises sparkled mischievously. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking about telling Sasuke what a chicken you are and he'll forget all about you. I'll be in with him and guess whose bed he'll... "

"Yeah right, pig!"

A few heads in the teashop turned to gaze at the woman’s sudden outburst. She inched back into her chair, cheeks flamed bright red and a strong urge to wrap her hands around Ino's slim neck. The silence that took over the room plus Ino’s smug expression made Sakura regret such an outburst.

"Well, you know," Ino began, her smirk growing wider. "Sasuke was the one who brought up the subject of the dragon. He’s interested in the truth."

Sakura growled at her sudden interest in seeing if there lied truth to this mythical creature. If Sasuke wanted to know if the dragon existed, discovering that information may impress him. That would help start a conversation between them. Even though they sat in the same Physiology class since they started their junior year of college, Sakura hadn't worked up the courage to talk to the dark-haired male except for one time when she asked to borrow his notes. It was the most uneventful conversation Sakura ever had in her life. It couldn’t classify as a conversation since it only lasted thirty seconds.

The woman analyzed the setbacks of exploring the Forbidden Forest. Apparently, Sasuke was worth the risk, so she said, "All right, I'll go."

"Great!" the other woman exclaimed. "We'll go this weekend! You, Shikamaru, Naruto, and me! I'll pack... "

Ino's voice faded as Sakura's mind drifted off into thoughts about this trip. Dread formed in her chest at what she agreed to. She lacked desire required for traveling into the middle of a forest during summer to fight off insects and whatever else. It was possible because she had dumb friends and she seemed to lose common sense with Sasuke, the end of her life may be closer than it should. Kami, help them.

* * *

 

"Come on Sakura!"

Said woman sighed as she gazed up at the bright, but partly cloudy sky. Why did she follow through with this idiotic idea, in the middle of summer, sweat pouring down her body, and insects eating her alive? She contemplated this wasn't such a good idea, especially on a ninety-degree day with what had to be one hundred percent humidity. Life sucked at the moment. She believing it would be easier just to go up to Sasuke and talk to him instead of taking this roundabout, idiotic way of trying to impress him.

"Shut up, I'm coming!" Sakura shouted back while attempting to fight her way through a stubborn bush. After breaking through with a struggle, Sakura stumbled toward the bright orange jumpsuit that moved farther and farther away. "Naruto, slow down, you idiot!"

The spiky-haired male looked over his shoulder but continued to walk away with Shikamaru and Ino a few feet in front of him. "You're moving so slow Sakura! Catch up already!"

"Why you... " Sakura muttered, having every intent on bashing that guy's head in the moment she caught them. "Damn bastard, I'll... "

Her sentence stopped abruptly when her sandal got tangled in a mess of roots. Sakura cursed her luck and attempted to unwrap herself from its clutches. Eyes darting ahead as she tugged, she barely saw Naruto and the others from how far ahead they had gotten. Sakura attempted to break the vine, but the root held fast and she got more irritated the harder she fought with it.

"Wait a second, guys!" she shouted loudly and her heart sank when they continued walking.

Great, she was all alone, miles deep into the woods, the roots still refused to let go of her sandal, and now the sky darkened with the threat of a storm. Damn the weatherman for saying it would be a sunny day. Enraged, Sakura yanked her shoe so hard that she ripped the foliage and fell flat on her butt. She cursed again, stood up, and tried to dust the dirt off her red shorts when a drop of warm rain plopped on her nose. Turning green eyes up to the sky, Sakura’s spirit deflated further at the sight of the darkened clouds. Thunder sounded overhead, and she took off in the direction she last saw her friends.

"Naruto!" she yelled as she dodged trees and jumped over bushes. "Ino! Shikamaru! Where are you bastards?!"

The howling of the wind picking up sounded as her only reply. The rain fell heavier and lightning majestically forked the sky. Sakura's eyes darted in every direction trying to find shelter from the storm, but her immediate surroundings included only forestry. She had to put some distance between her and the many trees. A lightning storm this strong created high electrocution rates and dying in such a way had been omitted from her to do list.

"Damn it," Sakura cursed while brushing her wet locks out of her face. "Just my luck for this to happen to me! Of course, they wouldn't bother to make sure everyone was still together."

The lost woman got soaked to the bone within seconds and just when she thought underneath a tree would be her only shelter, out of the corner of her eye, Sakura spotted a cave in the side of a rock wall. It seemed a little... intimidating, but a bright flash of lightning and a deep roll of thunder threw all hesitation out the window. Sakura bolted for the cave and once inside, she placed her hands on her knees and struggled to catch her breath. Her sides screamed with each breath and her throat raw from how much oxygen she tried to inhale at once. After a few moments, the exhausted girl managed to slow her breathing, and she paused a moment to take in her surroundings. Her eyes had to adjust to the dim lighting and when they did, Sakura saw the cave sharply grew narrow. It went deeper into the side of the mountain. Could it be…

"Does the dragon live here?" Sakura whispered to herself. She then frowned. "I sound so pathetic..."

Still, her curiosity slowly got the best of her. A dragon didn’t live in this cave, but it couldn't hurt to look... right? Sakura paused for a moment and weighed her options. The safest course of action involved remaining at the mouth of the cave until the storm passed. What if she missed a critical detail determining if the dragon survived?

"Why am I even contemplating this again?" she scolded herself, eyes still scanning her location wearily. "I need to find the others first."

Unfortunately, the woman was inquisitive. If anything, she wanted to check out the cave to prove a myth remained just that so she could rub it in Ino's face. Nothing was more satisfying than proving her best friend wrong... since she always seemed to be right. With a decision in mind, Sakura pulled a flashlight from the pack on her shoulders and made her way deeper into the cave. It was eerily quiet; her unsure footsteps reverberating off the rounded walls, the only noise that reached her ears. Taking a deep breath to calm her pounding heart, Sakura nervously hooked a strand of wet hair behind her ear and threw worried glances over her shoulder toward the opening of the cave shrank in size. Soon only the yellow light of the flashlight gleamed.

Sakura wasn’t sure how long she walked, long enough to feel claustrophobic. Her footsteps sped up unconsciously and the worried female wondering why she decided to travel deeper into the cave. Her panic mounted until she was at a full run, trying not to trip over stray rocks while keeping a death grip on her flashlight.

_Run… little girl…_

Fright seared through her body at the voice that seemed to be surrounding her in the tight cavern. What the hell was going on?!

_Are you afraid?_

_I'm losing my mind!_ Sakura screamed in her mind, her legs pumping as faster than ever before. _I have to get the hell out of here!_

The pink-haired woman ran hard and breathed a sigh of relief when a sliver of light grew brighter the longer she ran. Finally, she reached it and threw herself into its glow. Surprise washed over her when Sakura landed on sand soft white sand. Looking up, she gave the new area a once over, confusion written on her features. "What the hell is this?"

Sakura witnessed a clear lake with a large waterfall straight across the calm water. This beautiful place resided inside of a cave? This was like a scene from a movie, but she never witnessed it in real life. Shakily getting to her feet, Sakura brushed some sand off the front of her wet clothes. The woman grew frustrated as the sand turned to mud and quit trying. She took a few curious steps towards the water and looked into it.

"I look like crap," she muttered to self, reaching up to smooth out her disheveled locks.

Surveilling the waterfall once more, Sakura squinted and noticed an opening behind it. a Giant lizard didn’t occupy the area she found herself. The area surrounding it was closed in by jagged rocks and stretched a vast distance away from her, perhaps 150 to 200 feet and ended with a small forest of trees. The young woman turned her attention to the dark cavern from which she had escaped. It appeared to be her only way out of this unusual place, but she didn't want to risk hearing those voices again. The grainy yet deep way of speaking terrified her and Sakura felt the shiver go up her spine at the thought of it. Perhaps another exit existed behind the waterfall. She understood her completely brilliant plan to impress Sasuke was a stupid one.

Sakura realized the contrast in the brightness of the area compared to the darkness of the tunnel and the storm outside the cave. Pausing, Sakura discovered the loud crashes of thunder were no longer heard. What an odd turn of events. Sakura hung onto her flashlight and dropped her bag on the shore. Placing a foot inside the surprisingly warm water and thanking Ino for talking her out of bringing her cell phone, Sakura waded into the pond. After a few steps, she dropped under the water's surface. She came up sputtering and coughing. The water didn't seem deep at all, but she sank immediately and it took a moment before the urge to swim kicked in; the pond's floor existent?

Sakura continued to curse to herself as she swam, her limbs growing tired of the extra weight of her soaked clothes and trying to hold her flashlight above water. After a few moments that seemed like an eternity, the twenty-year-old pulled herself up onto the flat plateau next to the waterfall. The rushing current provided a soothing melody, but something was off; the air moved up in temperature drastically compared to the other side of the water. What caused such a bizarre change? An unfamiliar scent filled her nostrils. It was faint but almost sickening. The smell brought back a piece of the folktale, but Sakura pushed it away before she lost her sanity. The young woman pulled her flashlight out of her pack and turned it on; nothing happened. She shook it a few times, but that didn't help either. Unscrewing the head, Sakura blew into the inside until it was dry and tried again. This time it worked.

"All right," Sakura coached herself as she peered inside. "Here goes nothing."

She took her first few shaky steps into the cavern, not knowing what to expect. The warm air she felt on the outside tripled in intensity. Sweat poured from temples and it became harder to breathe the stifling oxygen. Why the hell did it get so hot suddenly? The next moment, a deep rumble echoed throughout the cave, causing Sakura to freeze. She pointed her flashlight straight ahead and her heart dropped to her feet when she saw the light glitter. Viridian orbs widened in shock at what she saw.

"It's real," she breathed.

There stood an enormous dragon, black scales shining in the dim lighting. It turned its head in her direction, crimson orbs sparkling like rubies. Smoke billowed from its nostrils as its quiet growl vibrated in Sakura's chest. The dragon attempted to move towards her, but the rattle of thick chains sounded and stopped the large creature's movements. Sakura took a step back, still in awe at the sight of the majestic mythical creature. The dragon existed; Sakura was dumbfounded. The beast stared at her, sharp teeth bared in her direction. This monster’s ability to put her in danger loomed in the back of her mind, but Sakura was mesmerized.

Its claws clinked against the hard floor as it turned to face her. "Why are you here?"

Sakura blinked. "Did you just-"

Her sentence ended when the dragon's massive tail wrapped around her body. The flashlight clattered to the ground and shut off, but the creature's piercing orbs still shone brightly in the dark.

"Why have you come?"

Sakura’s fear skyrocketed inside her when the creature brought her close to its face. Every breath that fanned her felt scalding hot, and she struggled to free herself to no avail. The surrounding grip only increased until she was sure her ribs would snap if it squeezed any tighter.

"I-I wanted to see if you were real," she wheezed. "I'll leave now and never come back. I promise!"

The dragon moved, so it was only inches away from her. "You'll never leave this place, Sakura Haruno."

Sakura's heart sank at those words. Coming to the Forbidden Forest was a mistake. Perhaps this answered why people disappeared after coming here. Terror crept into the frightened woman and her breath hitched as tears formed at the corner of her eyes.

"Please don't kill me," she begged. "I'll do anything!"

The dragon's grip tightened a fraction more. "You have not, nor will you be, the last to say that. What do you believe you can do for me?"

"I-I... "

What could she possibly do for something that wasn't even supposed to exist? The answers had to be slim and out of her power to do so.

"I'll find a way to free you!"

The creature was silent for a moment. "How can you, a mere human, free me?"

It placed her down but kept its tail hovering behind her in case Sakura tried to bolt. She gazed up at the large dragon, beryl orbs wandering over its body with curiosity. The mythical creature was... beautiful. Ebony scales, piercing red eyes, talons sharp enough to tear through human flesh. No matter how much danger the mystical being radiated, Sakura could still see the majesty and grace as it gazed at her.

"I don't know," she breathed. "Do you know a way?"

A deep rumble echoed from the creature's throat. "Yes, but it will require time; a month to teach you."

Sakura's eyes widened. "An _entire_ month?"

Burning crimson eyes gazed at her. "Would you rather I destroy you now?"

She had an easy answer to that menacing question. She didn't want to die, but she had so many obligations as it was! Her job at Olive Garden, college, and the new video game she had just bought two days ago! By the time she got out of here that game would be old news and she wouldn't have a clue what the new talk of GameStop would be! Still, being alive trumped overall; however, what about food?  This dragon would not allow her to leave. She would starve to death before she learned how to help the dragon escape. Sakura brought it up and cringed when the dragon's tail moved closer.

"There is plenty of fish in that pond," it responded. "The water is also drinkable."

Sakura frowned. She loved fish as much as the next person but eating it nonstop for an entire month did not sound appetizing. What was she going to do without her cinnamon apple muffins? She would die that's what would happen. How would she cook the fish, anyway? Well, perhaps her captor could assist with that...

The young woman gazed at the dragon once more and her inquisitive nature churned. "So... are you the dragon that was once a man?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

This dragon claimed he was the character from that folklore. Sakura couldn’t believe what horrid luck she had. An impossible situation lay before her: help the dragon-like she promised or suffer burning alive or worse: ripped to shreds. She’d really gotten herself into a mess. Maybe she could plan an escape, but as of now, thoughts of escape were void.

Sighing, Sakura hooked her knotting hair behind her ear and asked, "Well, what's your name?"

The dragon raised his head and said, "Itachi."

 


	2. II

Sakura had been sitting down near Itachi for about an hour now, bored out of her mind. She could only swim and explore so much before it grew boring. How was she supposed to last a month in an environment that turned into a sauna the closer she got to Itachi? True fear of Itachi changing his mind and kill her in an instant haunted her. She'd die of heat stroke or anger a dragon before the day was over. Sakura glanced at her wristwatch, let out a heavy sigh, and looked out at the waterfall, the sounds becoming a melody. Green eyes scanned the water sloshing into the pond below as if she were in a trance. The beautiful crystal-clear flow of the water drew the eyes towards it like a bee to a flower. Maybe she could stare at it all day to pass the time.  Sakura yawned, stood, and wiped the sweat that was trickling down her forehead. Timid eyes glanced over at the ebony dragon to find herself locked in his piercing stare.

"What is it?" she asked nervously.

"Do you know what chakra is?"

It amazed her that his mouth did not move as he spoke. It was like hearing him speaking in her mind as if his voice was her thoughts. Sakura frowned at the word she'd never heard of before. "Chalk what?"

The dragon's muscular tail whipped out and locked itself around Sakura's body faster than she could process. She squealed in surprise before she Itachi separated them by mere inches. Did she already anger him enough to start her death sentence? She looked up and saw three shapes like black commas within his crimson irises forming a ring. The woman gasped when they spun clockwise in a slow circle.

"You have insufficient chakra," Itachi voice resounded around her, "but it is flowing so you have potential; however, you will most likely fail."

"That's a real positive attitude to have," Sakura said while furrowing her brows. "How do you know I can't do the... chakra whatever thing?"

"What makes you think you can?"

That was a good question. She didn't know what this chakra was but Sakura prided herself on being a good student. She didn't maintain a 4.0 for most of her high school and now college career to have a creature that wasn't supposed to exist tell her she lacked the drive for success. Sakura liked a challenge; she thrived on success and this would be no different. Above all, success meant going home.

"I like having a sense of accomplishment," Sakura responded, her body relaxing in his grip. "Won't know until I try, right?"

Itachi remained silent for a moment, his eyes returning to the solid vermillion color they were before. He placed her down and moved away, silver chains rattling in the dark. "Ensure you have adequate sleep. Your training will begin once you wake up."

Sakura looked around the cave, trying to figure out if he expected her to just sleep in the sand. Adrenaline still pumped through her veins from the scare he gave her and now he expected her to sleep? The unnerving trick of his eyes shocked her into alertness. Sleep would elude her until her heart stopped racing. Sakura jogged over to the far end of the enclosed space where the trees were. Healthy grass formed underneath the partial canopy of the tall trees. The health of them confused her. Without an opening in the cave ceiling, how did they stay alive without rain? A question for Itachi some other time. An optimistic thought of fruit trees crossed her mind; Sakura would check later. A blanket of exhaustion washed over her as she laid down at the base of one of the thick trees.

_Maybe I'll wake up and this will all be a dream,_ Sakura thought. I _probably hit my head on a rock or something and knocked myself out. I'll wake up and laugh at how crazy this whole thing is._

Sakura threw an arm over her eyes and closed them, hoping she'd wake to find a better scenario.

Itachi gazed over at the first human he had seen in ninety years. Such a strange girl and borderline irritating. He understood the fear of death caused a person to panic, but her timid spirit vexed him. Why didn't he kill her straight away like with the others who came stumbling into his prison? When her small personality shifted to outspoken, it puzzled him further. Did she not realize her life related to the fragile light of a small candle compared to his power? She harbored courage or idiocy. The way she talked about mastering chakra use brought a sense of curiosity. It was dangerous to place faith in the mortal, but what would it hurt? Itachi did not believe this young woman possessed the talent to undo the curse of a god. Still, it would get Pein's attention. Toleration may prove hard after many decades alone; only time would tell.  

The use of chakra and ninja arts had dwindled to nothing as time passed judging from the humans who hiked into his cave. At first, people who came in contact with him used their arts and Kekkei Genkai to fight for their lives. In the last hundred years, no one tried to use it and they did not have unlocked chakra ability. The possibility of gaining unlocked chakra without training existed in rare conditions. Sakura's chakra levels passed the stage of unlocking, a remarkable feat without training.

Itachi laid his head down on his claws. He never noticed hair so abstract or vivid eyes like hers on another person before. Their hue mirrored emeralds; not quite jade but the word green too plain as a description.  Men alone traveled into his clutches over the years. Sakura had the misfortune to be the first female in his realm. Did that play a part in why he hesitated to kill her and entertained the ridiculous idea of her freeing him from his bondage? The last woman he saw held responsibility for his chains and dragon appearance, forever cursed with immortality and the odor of charred flesh in his nostrils. This reminder of his predicament brought a realization: a hint of jasmine reached his senses when Sakura invaded his vicinity. Such an intoxicating aroma, something that heightened his awareness and cleared his mind. Within the short time of their encounter, Sakura caused several impossible feats without trying. 

The dragon raised his head when he heard her tired groan and witnessed her sit up. Her gaze turned to him and she said, "I can't sleep comfortably when I'm hungry."

"Then feed yourself from the pond," was his simple response. "You will need energy for when you begin your training."

The girl frowned at him. "Do you expect me to catch them with my bare hands?"

Such audacity speaking to him as if they were equals. Itachi might kill her before she strengthened her chakra abilities. However, trying to catch fish without a pole could prove fruitless. It required skill she did not possess. The trees she yelled at him from harbored fruit; however, she needed protein for the intense work needed before sleep. The sugary fruit may do more harm than good. He would let her find those herself as punishment for such a sour attitude. To save himself a headache, Itachi rose to his feet and moved towards the exit. Sakura's eyes widened in astonishment.

"What are you doing?! I thought the chains didn't allow you free movement!"

She scooted back, trying to get out of his range. Sakura's reaction satisfied Itachi; it showed that he still had the fear factor to use over her.

"My chains can restrict my movement when Pein decides it is necessary," he answered, moving past the frightened female.

"Pein?"

Itachi turned his head to look at her when he reached the cave entrance. "The one who cursed me."

Sakura got to her feet and walked up beside him. "So, um... what happened? Did you actually destroy your entire clan?"

"Yes."

A painful twinge pricked her chest at those words. "Even... your parents?"

Itachi brought his tail around and hovered it above the water just to the right of the waterfall. "All of them."

She lowered her head, coral bangs covering her eyes. "How could you do that?" she whispered.

Itachi's tail shot into the water like a spear and when he pulled it out, a nice sized fish wriggled on the tip. He moved it closer and shook the flopping fish onto the warm cave floor. Rock laid on the side of the waterfall instead of sand like in front of the pond. "They needed to die for their insolence."

Sakura couldn't believe her ears. How could anyone say that about their family? They were the ones who loved her the most no matter what she did. They stood by Sakura's side, protected her as she grew. Mother consoled her during the heartbreaks of teenage years. Dad was always there to pick her up when she fell and encouraged her to try again. Sakura didn't know what it meant to have siblings, but she assumed a bond like that proved hard to break.

"You're a monster," she whispered.

Itachi's gaze whipped to look at the pink-haired woman who spoke, those words echoing in his memory.

_You're a monster, Itachi!_

"I _am_ ," he echoed, turning around to face. He tried to force her to shy away with hostile looming towards her. "However, it is not your place to give your opinion on something that does not concern you. Even more so when you remain ignorant to the entire story."

Sakura gazed up at the creature before her and a revelation glared back at him. The fear he desired lingered, but in the intense gaze, she gave defiance. Anger blazed in those deep jade pools. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and he observed her wipe them away with force. She didn’t take one step away.

"I'd do anything to have my parents back," she growled. "I can't believe I'm helping someone like you get out of here. You... you deserve it!"

"Perhaps," Itachi answered, leveling his gaze with hers, "but that is irrelevant. You offered to help to save your life from your selfish will to live. If I am a monster why are you willing to set me free?"

Sakura opened her mouth to respond but had none.  She wasn't ready to die, so she tried to find a way out of losing her life. What was there to say? She still didn't want to die and unless she did what this dragon wanted, he wouldn't hesitate to kill her. While tossing and turning for that half hour, Sakura realized she should have run for it. Catching her if she made a run for the exit would be like a toddler trying to escape a rabid dog. If he slaughtered his entire family, there was no way her life meant anything. Itachi, noting her sudden silence, moved away, caught two more fish for her, and laid them next to each other. He did not care if what he said hurt her feelings. She did not understand what happened, but she judged him like the many others that caught a smudged version of his life story.

The dragon turned his gaze to his guest. "Eat."

Sakura crinkled her nose. "It's not cooked Itachi. I don't want to risk food poisoning."

The dragon turned to her. "Food poisoning?"

The young woman tried to suppress a chuckle at his innocent question. Her answer concerning bacteria may confuse him further so she broke it down into elementary terms. "It's when you eat something that's not clean and it gives you an upset stomach. Can't you smoke it or something? Aren't you a fire-breathing dragon?"

Itachi remained silent for a moment. Did she think he played the role of a servant? Fresh fish may her sick if her food wasn't cooked, but to ask him to cook it for her? It grated him that she was right again. The only way to prepare it included him. How irritating. 

"Move," he instructed.

Sakura obeyed, looking with curious eyes around his body. Itachi inhaled, smoldering heat building in his chest. He emitted soft exhale emitted a small fire. Sakura looked on in wonder. Her living arrangements with a dragon still hadn't set in until now. The radiating heat waves warmed her face further, causing more sweat to roll down her body. She would need a bath from the stickiness of her skin.

Itachi finished cooking and turned to retreat to his nook in the cave wall. Sakura called her thanks after him, but he did not answer. Sakura shrugged her shoulders and sat down in front of the still smoking fish. It diffused an inviting aroma, but with no seasonings, it may have the deliciousness of a shoe. The hungry woman pulled off a piece of flesh like a barbaric caveman after giving her food a moment to cool. She placed the fish up to her lips, warmth still emitting from it, but not hot enough to burn her mouth.

A rich smoky flavor filled her senses, a hint of spice encases in every bite. Her stomach kicked into high gear and she reached to tear off another piece.

"This is pretty good," Sakura murmured while she ate.

"You must also drink," Itachi's powerful voice resounded. "You have lost fluids from being in this cave so replenish yourself."

Sakura finished her meal and moved over to the water's edge. She didn't want to drink gross warm water. Timid fingers reached up and moved through the cascading water. She smiled at the cool feel that inched from her palm to her wrist. Sakura cupped her hands, held them out, letting them fill with water and moving it to her lips, relishing the soothing liquid moving down her parched throat. She didn't realize the intensity of her thirst until she had something to drink.

Itachi turned to watch her gather water and drink. Sakura's mood changed like the direction of the wind. Her dismay about the death of his clan already dissipated. She mentioned she wished her parents were still alive. Sakura must have had a close relationship with them. Genuine hurt and rage crossed her soft features. It differed from those judgmental expressions he received openly and behind his back since the moment he ended his clan. He gazed at her in silence when she stuck her arm in the water and giggled like an amused child. Why did Pein allow this stranger entrance? The one-way invisible barrier at the mouth of the clan repelled those who Pein chose. Each person, although Itachi did not remember all of them, brought divulgement, foreshadowing, or guilt, none Sakura portrayed thus far. Whatever the reasoning, Pein did it for entertainment. He relished in Itachi's continued suffering.

"Itachi?"

The dragon blinked and shifted his tail around his body, waiting for her to speak. He watched with curiosity as the rosette moved over to him and looked up again, bright orbs copying gems in the light.

"I'm sorry for the things I said. You're right, it isn't my place to judge you when I don't have the full story."

The black dragon remained silent, unsure how to respond to her apology. After a few moments, she gave him a weary smile then moved back over to where she had laid down earlier. His gaze remained trained on her as she closed her eyes and heard her breath even out. The outcome from meeting this girl eluded him. 


	3. III

_Sakura ran faster than she knew possible. The pitch-black area engulfed her, yet she ran on in a blind panic. Despite no floor underneath, her feet landed on a surface hard like concrete. Her heart was racing, pulse thundering in her ears, sweat trickling down her brow, and fear jolting through her body. The same presence that terrified her in the tunnel before she found the waterfall and Itachi haunted her. The aura chasing her seemed powerful... unstoppable almost. It loomed behind her, making the hairs on her neck stand up as it inched closer._

_"Why do you try to escape me Sakura?"_

_That eerie voice echoed around her, smooth but simultaneously cold and menacing. Terror gripped her like a noose around her neck. Sakura pressed on, not daring to look behind her. Her breaths came in forced gasps every time her foot landed on the blackened surface. Her legs turned to lead, moving like she tried sprinting through water, her strides slowing down to a crawl. Sakura tried to force her legs to move faster, but their pace weakened until she was no longer moving._

_"Sakura..."_

_A pale hand rested on her shoulder and shrieked at the top of her lungs._

Sakura jolted awake, the reminiscence of the cold hand causing goosebumps to rise on her flesh. She sat up, willing her heart to stop its abnormal pace and studied her surroundings. The confused woman remained in the same dank cave she had the misfortune of discovering a few hours ago. Sakura viewed Itachi's crimson orbs staring at her. The dragon gave her discouraging evidence of what she hoped was only a dream. Despite the creature and her making eye contact, the large dragon continued his fixed gaze.

"What?" she questioned, standing up on wobbly legs that fell asleep from the position she napped in.

"You were having a nightmare," Itachi stated. "You screamed a few moments ago."

Her cheeks tinted a darker red than the soft flush they were from the warmth of the cave. "That's true," she admitted while moving over to the cool breeze the waterfall created. "It scared the hell out of me."

Itachi did not respond; there was no need to. Something bothered her, and lack of mental soundness hindered progress with chakra control. His only concern included her ability to use chakra, not what scared her. 

"Are you ready to begin your training?" he asked, moving to stand, muscular tail sliding along the cave floor.

His question reminded Sakura of her purpose here. The quicker she completed her task, the faster Itachi achieved freedom and her too. The determination to finish this training early fueled her. She held onto that hope as she stood and ruffled her stringy hair. 

"Okay, what is the first step?"

"Come."

Sakura took a step forward, her heart thudding in her ears. She swallowed, not comfortable being close to him, but reminding herself Itachi wouldn't kill her... she hoped. Standing beside a fifteen-foot dragon did something to one's nerves. She stopped in front of him and he lowered his head, red eyes spinning counterclockwise. A powerful force yanked Sakura into a black and red vortex. The gravitational force on her body pulled so strong, Sakura thought the pressure compressed her organs, halting her lung expansion. After what had to be only a few seconds, Sakura jolted to a halt, the sensation abrupt like hitting a brick wall at 50 MPH. She sucked in a deep breath as her lungs re-inflated, sending a sharp pang through her chest. Sakura placed her hands on her knees. Sweat beaded down her forehead as she tried to inhale deeper.

"When you're stronger, coming to this world will not affect you."

"Is... that s-so?" Sakura responded, sarcasm lacing her voice as she struggled to get a grip on reality. Bile burned at the back of her throat and her hand covered her mouth, unsure if her stomach planned on emptying itself. Sakura's body soon relaxed and her breathing returned to normal. She stood slow and watery green orbs turned upward to the sky. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Where  _are_ we?"

A deep crimson that matched the red of Itachi's eyes bled across the skylines. Angry, black clouds billowed past at a speed that was unnatural, especially without wind to push them along.

"This is the power of my Sharingan," Itachi spoke, his voice surrounding her. "Here, you are at my mercy. My desires are a reality within this realm. It is a power that only the Uchiha Clan possess. A power that began their demise."

_Sharingan? What the hell is that?_  

Sakura's face scrunched in confusion. What was Itachi talking about? She sighed. Despite the outlandish story he told her, after what she witnessed, anything was possible. The young woman figured that out the moment she stumbled into a cave harboring a mythical creature.

Sakura turned to find her captor. "Okay, so how do I..."

Her mouth closed from the sight before her. Who was this unfamiliar man? Such creamy skin and smooth ebony hair were the first features to catch her attention. Sakura's eyes trailed over his form, clear lines of his muscles peeked through the mesh shirt he wore underneath his opened cloak.

The male's slender fingers slid stray locks of hair behind his ear. He momentarily closed his eyes as he did so. When he opened them, Sakura recognized those unique irises right away.

  
"Itachi?" she asked curiously. "Is that you?"

"Yes. This is my original form."

Sakura failed to formulate a sentence. Itachi Uchiha's human form took her by surprise. The longer she gazed at him, the more describing him as handsome sounded obsolete. Her heart fluttered in her chest and her stomach tried to tie itself in knots. Sakura had never seen a more attractive man in her life and her cheeks heated up against her will. How would she focus with him in this form? Sakura understood she was acting like a love-struck teenager. She had a task to fulfill and its difficulty increased if she ogled Itachi like a horny brat. Yet green eyes couldn't shift from him.

_Well, this just changed everything,_  Sakura thought as she blinked a few times to pull herself out of la-la land.

"So... what do we do now?" Sakura questioned, trying hard to keep composure in her voice.

"Your chakra is already unlocked, but now it needs to flow," he answered. "I will use my own to help it circulate through its paths."

"So, you're going to jump start it?"

"Yes."

Sakura paused, a question she had earlier popping into her mind. "Can you explain what chakra is?"

Itachi placed a free hand inside his cloak and supported it there like a sling, his deep red gaze remaining focused on her. "It is energy used in battle. The stronger your chakra, the more powerful abilities you possess. It's an ancient practice of the shinobi."

"Shinobi?"

Was he talking about  _ninjas_? Sakura only knew what a shinobi was because of her world history class back in high school. She knew they were stealthy and magnificent fighters, but she still couldn't quite grasp the concept. An energy used for battle? Did it act like superpowers of some sort?

"Chakra is a weapon?" she questioned.

Itachi nodded. "My Sharingan created this world using my chakra. My eyes are the sole ability of my clan. Kekkei Genkai is a chakra fueled power used by only one group of people. The Sharingan is the Uchiha Kekkei Genkai."

The young woman wondered if chakra was like magic. Her interest piqued on the possibility of her mastering it. The day's events were unreal and hard to process.

_I need an apple cinnamon muffin,_  Sakura thought, her mind exhausted as she took one more sweeping glance over the surrounding area.

"Come," Itachi's tranquil voice called, and he turned away seconds later.

Sakura followed him like an invisible strand connected them together. They moved through the desolate looking area until a group of trees appeared the distance. Sakura squinted and noticed the leaves were ebony like the clouds; the trees' branches and trunk were the same color red as the sky. The foliage held beauty in its own eerie way. Markings that matched the little commas in Itachi's eyes lined each one in a unique pattern. When the pair reached about ten feet away from the trees, the black markings slithered into a shape Sakura couldn't describe. It reminded her of the symbol on biohazard waste bins. Itachi stopped walking and turned to face Sakura. He sat down and motioned for her to follow. She obeyed using caution, not sure what to expect.

"I will use my chakra to help yours flow and then we will work on controlling it," the former dragon said, locking eyes with her. He held out his palms. "Place your hands on top of mine."

The pink-haired woman reached out to rest them on her captor's, her hands covering them with a touch as light as a feather. His skin radiated a comforting warmth, Sakura ventured to say almost relaxing. She also realized how soft his palms were. Not a hint of calluses lined them, and Sakura couldn't stop her fingers from softly running against his skin without awareness of her actions.

Itachi watched as the strange girl fixated on his hands. Pein insulted him by sending such a woman to him. His tormentor warned Itachi before he transformed him of a woman who carried the key to his freedom within her, Pein's choosing of course. Itachi discerned Sakura's arrival because of the circumstances Pein laid out. Itachi knew her name and a little concerning her personality traits. Pein believed Sakura had the potential to develop powerful jutsu and be an asset to him after the Sharingan unlocked it. The god told him the Sharingan's chakra would enhance Sakura's own and her strength would rival the strongest taijutsu, hand-to-hand combat, users in history. Itachi hadn't discovered why Pein required another powerful being under his wing, but it was not his business to decipher his motives. He desired freedom from his dragon form and the cave; nothing else held importance.

Still, Itachi couldn’t identify the foreign twice in his chest and it raised his guard. The murderer recognized this woman may be the cause, but what purpose did it serve? The soft flutter placed him in an unusual calm disposition, an unwanted reaction to a foolish woman. Many women coveted his attention before his imprisonment, but he never had this sort of reaction except to one. He studied her emerald green eyes without a word, cherry blossom colored hair catching his attention next. Even in the world of the Sharingan, her hair shimmered in the unnatural light, giving it a silky appearance.

Itachi shoved any thoughts of the female in front of him away and focused on the task at hand. He did not have time for hesitation. His return to his original form surpassed all distractions.

"Place your hands flat on my palms," Itachi instructed. The serious expression on her features pleased him. Sakura's honest interest allowed him to focus.

Sakura inched her fingers across his smooth palms until they were at the start of his wrists. "What happens now?"

"My chakra will force your chakra network to flow," Itachi explained, his eyes locking with Sakura. "It will take a few moments. However, it will hurt."

The pink-haired woman bit her lip at those words. She had a high tolerance for pain, but that didn't mean she wanted to test her limits. "Is there a way to prevent it?"

"No. It depends on your chakra type if it will hurt or not."

The woman remained quiet and looked down. When she lifted her head, Sakura said with determination in her voice, "Okay, go ahead."

Itachi closed his eyes and when they re-opened, there was a strange pinwheel shape in place of a normal pupil and she realized it matched the commas on the trees earlier. Sakura zeroed in on the shapes, hypnotized until a shock of pain coursed through her body.

She let out a small cry as fire inched through every muscle fiber in her body. Her nerves jolted like live wires and a flame hot enough to melt concrete poured through her. Sakura grit her teeth, refusing to remove her hands from Itachi's, set on surviving the agony engulfing her. After a few moments, the searing heat lessened to bearable then soothing. Sakura let out a slow breath and cracked open her eyes. As she assumed, Itachi watched her without a sound escaping his lips.

"Is it over?" Sakura's voice sounded hoarse to her ears.

Itachi nodded and Sakura smiled with satisfaction at those words. Sakura pulled her hands back from her captor and marveled at the cool, flowing sensation in her body like a stream moving inside her. Sakura figured it must be the chakra energy Itachi mentioned.

"What now?"

The male stood, and Sakura followed suit. "Now you must learn to control your chakra. Once you understand how to manifest its power, I will teach you how to fight."

Sakura cocked her head to the side and raised a pink brow in confusion, the young woman asked, "Why do I need to learn to fight when I'm just supposed to help free you?"

Itachi walked away without checking on if Sakura followed. "You will learn in due time."

Sakura wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead and trailed after this stranger once again. She watched his long hair billow like silk with every step. This man was keeping her as a hostage until he ensured the freedom she promised. She frowned at her own contradiction: Sakura offered her help first, putting herself in this predicament. Then again, the alternative sounded... abrupt. The threat of death looming over her meant she remained a captive. The only reason Sakura wanted to help him included saving her own ass.

Itachi turned around on a dime and took a step toward her, almost causing a collision between them. Sakura huffed in annoyance. "What are you doing?"

He didn't respond. Without realizing it, the young woman searched those now obsidian eyes as dark as his hair. Her keeper’s gaze analyzed her without breaking their trance. Curious orbs studied his features intricately. His skin, free of blemishes and facial hair, his lips thin and a little dry. His eyebrows were dark and complimented his long lashes. Itachi's neck was slender, his Adam's apple visible just a little and the lines that outlined his throat curving until they met his collarbone.

"You're very attractive," she murmured, more out of observation than infatuation... she thought.

Itachi kept his composure, but his mind churned. That same fluttering impression he got earlier flickered within him. All doubt of this woman causing it fell away. Itachi's expression hardened. He would not allow it again. Pein planned this; as a God of Pain, his powers allowed him to detect what caused someone pain. Sakura must be in that vision. Itachi had no interest in his reasoning. He learned his lesson about opening his heart centuries ago. This mortal hadn't been in his presence a day, yet he had such a response to her? Pein must be manipulating him, an understanding that infuriated him.

Sakura let out a little gasp when Itachi leaned forward, his eyes reverted to blood red and the little commas whirling. That same jerking feeling took over her body and when it stopped, even though she was still dizzy, the sensation didn't hit her as hard as the first time. The heat of the cave washed over her and sweat poured down her brow. When the dizziness didn't subside, Sakura realized she was about to pass out.

_I need to drink water_ , she thought as her strength failed her. Her vision faded to black for a moment and when it focused, the dehydrated woman realized she lost her ability to stand yet she hadn't fallen.

"You need to keep your fluids up or you will be of no use. Working with your chakra will tire and exert your body to its limits. To stay healthy and able to use your chakra, you need to triple your normal intake of water."

Sakura leaned her head back and saw Itachi. He reverted to his dragon form and his tail stopped her from crashing into the hard, stone floor. Sakura took a deep breath, got to her feet, and swayed as she tried to maintain her balance. The dragon's tail stayed wrapped around her waist and refused to release her.

"You are not stable enough to walk without assistance," Itachi explained. "You may fall unconscious again."

Sakura gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks for your help."

"Do not mistake it for compassion."

Something about his words stung but Sakura ignored it. She had this unusual feeling for Itachi from the moment she saw his human form. She couldn't describe it, but she gathered they would understand each other enough to have a regular acquaintance before the end of their time. It would benefit them if they planned to spend a month within each other's vicinity.

 


	4. IV

Ino sat in class biting her manicured nails out of nervousness, her foot tapping against the cool tile in a rhythmic pattern. She needed out of this classroom; her worry for Sakura prevented her from focusing on whatever Mr. Hatake droned on about. Two weeks passed since their idiotic trip to the Forbidden Valley in search of a dragon. When she and Naruto noticed Sakura hadn't caught up, they back-tracked and found no trace of their friend. There were footprints embedded in the muddied forest floor, but they led to a solid rock wall. No other clues existed to pinpoint her location. It was like the Forbidden Valley's forest swallowed her. Ino wrapped her arms around her body after an unpleasant shiver crawled up her spine. The footprints vanished as if something swooped out of the sky and hauled her away.

Ino switched to a different nail after gnawing the current to oblivion. She tried to focus on the professor's lecture again, but his voice faded out when her thoughts wandered off. Her blue eyes glanced at her wrist and she breathed a sigh of relief when she realized that class ended in four minutes. Ino rushed to pack her bag and gazed down at her watch every fifteen seconds.

Come on bell, she begged in her mind, eyes following every tick of the clock on the wall, then switching to a fixation with her watch. Ring...

A loud ring sounded and the blonde almost tripped from how fast she jumped from her chair. Ino made a beeline for the hallway. She had to know if the police discovered any evidence concerning Sakura's whereabouts. She pleaded with whatever deity observing them for Sakura's life.

"Ino Yamanaka?"

Two men stood behind her. "Yes?" she acknowledged.

One male held up a badge, shoulder-length ebony hair shifting when he did so. "Fugaku Uchiha, Investigator. We need you to come with us. We have a few questions about your friend's disappearance."

Uchiha? 

Blonde eyebrows raised in confusion. Were they arresting her? Did they think she killed Sakura and lied about her disappearance? She already sat through hours of questioning with the police the moment she and Naruto reported her missing. Five thousand scenarios raced through Ino's head and her heart pounded harder with fear. What if she went to prison on false charges? 

Fugaku noticed the scared expression on the woman's face and gave her a warm smile. "Don't worry so much. We just want to hear your side of the story."

She gazed at them wearily before nodding. "O-Okay."

Ino followed the two men towards their police car and asked where they were going. Once Officer Fugaku told her, she texted her parents to let them know her location. As they set out, Ino gazed out of the window, watching the green landscape blur together from the speed they traveled. Her thoughts focused on her best friend more than a charge accusation of a crime she didn't commit. Above all things, wished for Sakura's safety.

Once they arrived, Ino stepped out; Fugaku motioned towards the building. Inside, people were bustling in every direction, many too busy to make eye contact with her. Agent Fugaku walked towards another older gentleman. His unruly graying hair stuck upwards, making him appear a little menacing. When he gazed over at Ino, she couldn't tell if his eyes were open. Well, eye, he covered his left one with a bandage that wrapped around his head. She wondered what happened to him.

"This way Ms. Yamanaka," Agent Fugaku said while continuing down the bland hallway.

They arrived at a door and once she was inside, the young college student studied her surroundings: gray walls, a mahogany desk with three chairs by it, and a camera on a stand sitting in one corner. Ino understood that this wasn't a questioning; it would be an interrogation.

"Have a seat."

Ino obeyed their request and sat down on the wooden chair, shivering when her body adjusted to the chill air in the room.

"Just wait right here, Ms. Yamanaka. It will be just a moment."

Ino nodded and waited in silence for this person to come talk to her. Every second ticked by like minutes. She wished she were at home. She wanted her father were here as childish as it sounded. Fear racked Ino's body. As she gazed at her hands clenched in her lap, a crystal tear slipped down her cheek.

The door creaked open and when Ino looked up, a look of shock crossed her features. "Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

He regarded her in silence before sitting across the table from her. The dark-haired male slouched in his chair and gave her a lazy look. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'm fine thanks," Ino relaxed a little with someone familiar. She wondered why Sasuke was here, but she figured out quickly.  "Is that man your father?"

Sasuke leaned forward and placed his hands on the table, his dark eyes more serious than usual. "We have more important things to discuss. What happened on your trip to Forbidden Valley two weeks ago?"

Ino didn't know if he was qualified to interrogate her. Doubtful since they were both in college, but maybe he would understand better.

\----------------------------------

Sakura fell into her fighting stance Itachi taught her and awaited his critique. "How was that?"

"Better. You understand the basics of hand-to-hand combat and how to control your chakra."

The young woman let her hands fall to her sides. "I'm still don't get why I have to learn how to fight. How do I free you, anyway?"

Itachi motioned for her to follow him and she did, the black and red surroundings she had grown accustomed to flowing in its usual pattern. The two of them walked over to a river red as blood. Itachi sat down on a large black rock and Sakura stared at him for a few moments. It still shocked her to see how attractive Itachi was in his human form. As Stockholm Syndrome as it seemed, Sakura looked forward to the time they spent in the Sharingan world so she could witness him as a human. It sounded idiotic. Why would she be interested in a man forcing her to stay here with him?

Sakura shook her head to ward off those unwanted thoughts. Unfortunately, she didn't get to decide who she developed a romantic interest in; that was her heart's decision. She tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach any time she and Itachi entered the world of his Kekkei Genkai. Her anticipation at seeing his human form again grew when Itachi pulled her into the imaginary world. His handsomeness rivaled models of her time. However, after seeing him in his human figure and studying his features, Sakura couldn't shake the nagging feeling that Itachi seemed familiar.

Itachi got locked away years before her birth, making it impossible for them to know each other, but something about his eyes made her wonder. The inky darkness of them when he deactivated his Sharingan caused a twinge of familiarity in her chest. Itachi stood by the swirling river while Sakura took her place on a large rock jutting over it. Her ability to sense chakra advanced to an impressive level. She now recognized chakra moving through her surroundings. Itachi explained that everything in the Sharingan world held a level of chakra. It enhanced her ability for sensing and controlling it.

Sakura placed her elbows on her knees and studied Itachi while waiting for an explanation the method to his release. A small, innocent smile worked its way over her features as she saw the wind tussled Itachi's dark hair around his face.

"Jutsu is what you'll use to break this curse," Itachi began. "It is blending hand signs and chakra together. Your control is better but bringing forth your chakra for jutsu requires much more concentration and precise control. I will teach you how to do hand signs and use your chakra simultaneously. Then I will teach you the specific jutsu you need to reverse the one placed on me."

Sakura pulled her legs up to her chin. "I've already been here for two weeks. Is it going to take long to learn how to create jutsu then learn the specific one?"

Itachi turned around and moved to sit next to her on the dark boulder. "It is not as simple as you may think. You have good control, but it has to be perfect. I want you to channel the chakra into the soles of your feet and walk across the river."

Bright green orbs widened with surprise. "You want me to walk on water? Do you think I'm Criss Angel or something?"

The blank expression on Itachi's face reminded her he wouldn't have a clue about the magician; in fact, most people her age might not know either. Sakura chuckled before standing to her feet and walking to the river's edge. Sakura took a deep breath to clear her mind. She could do this. The new chakra user had no choice because if she wanted to go home, she needed free Itachi from his curse.

Placing one foot out, Sakura concentrated the flow of her chakra and saw the bright green glow appear around it. She stepped onto the water, surprised by the rigid feel underneath her weight. Sakura did the same thing with her other leg and smirked at when she stood solidly on the water's surface. The pinkette's smile wavered when the chakra flickering underneath her, the crisp water covering her bare feet. Within seconds she was underwater.

The shocked girl came up sputtering, taken back at how deep the water was. She looked over to see Itachi staring at her. A sparkle in his dark eyes caught her attention.

Sakura frowned. "Do you think that was funny?"

After brushing her wet locks out of her face, Sakura climbed out of the warm current. She walked over to Itachi who followed her approach.

"With your confidence, your expression when you failed was amusing."

"Well aren't you a charmer," Sakura muttered, sarcasm lacing her words.

Itachi's eyes regarded the drenched woman in front of him. Her ability as a jutsu user was promising. She excelled in beginner chakra usage, a feat not easily attainable. The point of teaching her fighting techniques was to improve her dexterity with her chakra and allow Sakura to channel it at will. Itachi's eyes shifted to her hand as Sakura flipped her wet hair over her shoulder. Itachi felt annoyance and irritation  at first whenever he watched her, but now he felt nothing any time his gaze lingered on her longer than it should. The dragon had grown accustomed to her. Not quite fond of her but having company after so many years left a strange ache in his chest.

Sakura took her place in front of him on the rock, leaned forward, and placed her hands on her knees. Their faces were only inches apart. "Having fun staring into space?"

Itachi didn't respond, but his eyes locked with Sakura's jade ones. After a few seconds, a blush appeared underneath her cheeks. Sakura's right hand moved from her knee and stopped a few inches from the side of his neck.

"Itachi..." she whispered. "I think I may be... I'm not sure if...,"

What was this woman saying to him? Itachi waited for her to continue, mild interest in her next words filled him.

_You're a monster Itachi!_

Itachi blinked when those words echoed in his ears and once he returned focus to Sakura, his eyes widened when he saw her hair turned as dark as his own. He gazed around at his surroundings, realizing he was in a house. The mass murderer recognized the dirt floor immediately. Sakura laid on the ground, blood dripping from a wound in her side.

_You have betrayed our heritage and risked the lives of thousands for more power. All the Uchiha have and because of your treason, you will pay with your lives._

That was his voice, but his mouth wasn't moving. Itachi figured out what caused this vision: because he focused his full attention on Sakura, he lessened his control of the Sharingan world. It now locked him in the mist of his own jutsu. When Itachi looked closer, he realized that this was not Sakura, but... _her._

_Keiko, you are not someone I would suspect to harbor a lust for war._

His wife... this genjutsu displayed memories of his clan's destruction. This moment caused the most agony and nightmares: the second he ended her life.

_Itachi... Itachi..._

That wasn't Keiko's voice, it was Sakura's. He flared his chakra to its max ability and when he blinked, he returned to the correct Sharingan world with Sakura giving him a concerned look. Her hands rested on each side of his face. Itachi heard her soft breathing due to her closeness. 

"Itachi are you okay?" she questioned. "You just kind of spaced out. What happened?"

The male stood up, pulling from her warm grasp. "I am fine. Do not touch me unless I give you permission."

Sakura frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Asshole," she muttered.

"Continue using your chakra to walk across the water," he instructed while moving over to one of the large tomoe covered trees.

Sakura watched Itachi walk away. Something happened. He spaced out for a second, staring ahead with a blank expression on his features. When he came to, he tried to distance himself from her. Itachi would never admit that was why he separated them by at least fifty feet, but his actions told the story for him. Her curiosity about him tripled. What just went through his head?

 


	5. V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much romance in this chapter, but the next one will have quite a bit! Just setting it up here. Also, the story as I said wasn't meant to be long so there are only a few more chapters.

Sakura resurfaced from underneath the crystal-clear pond. She flipped her darkened rosette locks over her head and hooked stray strands of hair behind her ears. A bath was just what she needed. Although Sakura grew accustomed to the humid atmosphere of the cave, all the extra training made her sticky and gross. However, she long since outgrew her despair over not having things like toothpaste, shampoo, and bath soap. Still, she was more than ready to take a scalding hot shower and maybe comb her hair that grew wild and uncontrollable. Thank the heavens her birth control prevented periods. Sakura didn't want to think about the bathroom situation in the vast cave either. She cringed when it crossed her mind.

Sakura swam in slow languid strokes to a flat rock surface where her clothes laid. It was located out of Itachi's line of vision. Although he was a dragon, when the two of them were not in the Sharingan World, he was still a male and she was uncomfortable undressing in front of him. Sakura hauled herself up onto the warm surface and reached for a rock a little smaller than the middle of her palm. Its rough exterior rubbed against her fingertips as she drew another line on the wall to match the collection she accumulated over the last few weeks. Three weeks in this hell hole passed. One more and she would be free. On this rock, she shed many tears and experienced a lot of unquenchable anger. No matter what, she hated Itachi for forcing her to stay in this piece of shit cave with nothing to do but endure torture from her thoughts. That was one reason Sakura threw herself so hard into their training. Sakura wanted to be one hundred percent sure she could perform this Jutsu to remove Itachi's curse.

One question that plagued her often was what would happen once Itachi's curse lifted. Was he only immortal because of it? If not, how would he adapt to today's society? What were his plans to live out the rest of his life? Sakura's brows knitted in frustration. Why did she follow Ino's stupid ass hunch? If she didn't, this whole situation would have never happened. Sakura even tried to escape once out of the tunnel she rushed through the day she encountered Itachi, but it no longer existed. A stone wall mocked her a few feet into the tunnel to Itachi’s amusement.

After sitting for a while and letting her skin dry, the young woman put her clothes back on and walked to Itachi’s cave. She took one glance at her reflection in the water before walking inside. Her hair grew a few inches and maintained a wavy appearance without her flat iron’s assistance in keeping it in place. Disheveled bangs filtered over her eyes, so Sakura swept them to the left side of her face, a face that lost its roundness from working out and cutting all unhealthy habits out of her diet.

"Sakura."

"Yes?" she called, the warmth of the cave engulfing her.

There was the sound of chains shifting before he replied. "We will return to the Sharingan world and I will teach you the words and signs of the Jutsu. Combine this with your chakra to release me."

Those words brought joy to her heart, but also dread. Realization she was freeing a mass murderer hit her like a freight train. She knew it all along, but because it was far off, Sakura pushed it out of her mind. What if he killed innocent people again? Her thoughts stopped when Itachi's eyes spun. The sucking sensation Sakura was familiar with pulled her and soon the crimson and black world of the Sharingan was surrounding them. Itachi moved in front of her in his human form. Sakura's face hid her emotions, but in her mind, her hatred and infatuation were at war with each other. Every time she saw this tall, handsome figure gazing down at her, confusion twisted her soul.

"Let's practice your hand to hand combat with your chakra to warm up," Itachi said, taking a step back.

Sakura responded by pushing her chakra to her fist and moving at lightning speed towards her opponent. How far this girl came within such a short amount of time impressed Itachi. He blocked a kick aimed at his head and felt the power behind it. She excelled at close contact fighting. Itachi watched her pull a full-grown tree out of the ground by its roots and smash a large crater into the ground during their training. She discovered how to make her chakra work to her advantage.

Itachi and Sakura continued their spar for a few more minutes before Itachi signaled for them to stop. "Now, there are thirteen hand signs with this jutsu along with the chant you will have to perform with it," Itachi said. "Pay close attention."

He showed her the first three signs and then told her to repeat them. The first two Sakura mirrored with ease. The third one she struggled with.

"Like this." The Sharingan user placed her hands in the right position... they were so soft. Despite all the training they did, they lacked the dryness that often accompanied combat. He locked eyes with his prisoner and she gazed back at him with those deep emerald orbs. That strange twinge in his chest reared its head and Itachi let go a second later. There were more important things to consider. His freedom danced within his grasp, only a week... and the most important battle of the world's life loomed overhead.

"Try again."

Sakura laid down after her bland meal. Over time, she discovered a grass at the bottom of the pond that when cooked with the fish gave it a seasoned flavor. Sometimes it was a good change of pace from the smoky flavor from Itachi's flames. She also used the branches from the small forest in the corner of her large prison from time to time. Sakura preferred not to; it made the surrounding area hotter and that was not wanted. Sakura decided after this was over, she would never eat fish again.

The jutsu training wore her out. Once she got to the third sign, which was when the chant started, she felt as if all her chakra was being drained from her. Itachi said it was because was drawn pulled towards her palms, but she had to learn how to continue the flow of chakra until the last word and sign. That proved harder than Sakura imagined. It was like playing tug of war with an elephant.

Still, the vision of his hands on top of hers stuck in her mind. A warm sensation started in the pit of her stomach and when they locked eyes, everything else seemed to melt away. However, Sakura's exhaustion took over and tired eyes closed. Within moments she was asleep in a patch of grass, arm thrown over her face.

_Once again Sakura was running through the inky darkness. That eerie voice that had been haunting her resonated deep within her mind, causing terror to choke her. There was no escape, no way out. The eclipsed area loomed around her, threatening to throw her into madness._

_Suddenly, there was a tiny spot of light that seemed like it was millions of miles away, but the faster she ran, the bigger the area of light grew. Hope flooded Sakura's body as she tried to use her chakra to make her legs run faster. Something was trying to slow her down, but she pressed on until finally, she threw herself into the embrace of the light. Sakura put an arm over her eyes to shield them from her bright surroundings. After a few moments, it darkened, and beryl orbs opened to study the new area. A warm drop hit her nose and the young woman looked up to see a darkened grey sky._

_"Sakura..."_

_It was that voice, but no fear gripped her. It wanted her to follow it, acknowledge it speaking to her.  Sakura moved through what manifested as the Forbidden Forest towards the voice. Was this a dream? Did she escape?_

_"Sakura..."_

_Sakura whirled around to see a figure standing behind her. He wore the same cloak as Itachi. His skin pale as moonlight and his bright spiky orange hair starkly contrasted his deep purple eyes. The rings circling his pupil were as unique as Itachi’s Sharingan. What caught her attention the most was the many piercings that lined his face. Who was he?_

_"Sakura, the war of the Uchiha Clan continues."_

_Sakura moved her soaked locks out of her face. "What do you mean?"_

_"Once you return Itachi to his human form, the battle started decades ago will return."_

_That's what she was worried about, but her involvement ran far too deep. If she freed Itachi, would dozens of innocent people die? If Itachi killed his entire clan, Sakura knew the lives of strangers meant nothing. She still didn't know the motive behind Itachi's actions. There must be a reason why he believed he had to destroy them._

_"I don't know what to do," Sakura whispered. "Wait, who are you?"_

_"I am Pein," he answered. "I placed the jutsu on Itachi to keep him away from the rest of his clan. He believes his form is only punishment for delivering pain to his clan without my order. They've found Itachi. The Rinne Sharingan is what they seek."_

_"What is that?" Sakura questioned. "Who is after him? What am I supposed to do?"_

_Pein flashed forward her and pressed two fingers into the center of her chest. Searing pain radiated from the area, causing the female to fall to her knees, gasping for air._

_"Defeat them."_

_She placed her hands on the ground in front of her, breathing hard as the pain burned through her entire body. From the beginning, Sakura knew Itachi’s story had more pages than what he led on. The god of Pain protected him from the last of his clan, meaning he didn’t kill all of them. What truth remained hidden concerning the Uchiha Massacre? Sakura believed she was wrapped too far into their lives not to have knowledge of the full story. It was time Itachi came clean about everything. As the pain slowly dissipated, Sakura’s beryl orbs met those of the god before her, defiance written in them._

_“I will hear Itachi’s side before I do anything. I am not stronger than him, so I don’t understand why you think I play such a huge role. Once I figure it out, then I decide what I will do, not you, not Itachi.”_

_Pein’s expression didn’t change nor did he utter a response. This woman indeed may save the world from the dangers looming close by._

* * *

 

Sasuke gazed over the large map in front of him of the Forbidden Forest. There were markings all over it and an area circled in red pen held his attention. After years of searching, they found a location. That idiot blonde spilled everything to him without batting an eyelash. It didn't matter that this was an investigation, and he was not in any position to speak with her. Still, it worked.  He knew where to find the dragon and once release from his curse, the Rinne Sharingan would be his. There was no doubt in his mind or his father Fugaku's that Sakura Haruno was the chosen one to release the curse. Her appearance mirroring Itachi's wife added further proof. 

Their initial plan would reach fruition. It did not matter that hundreds of years passed. That gave Sasuke time to better plan for it. Sasuke witnessed the one thing he hated over and over during his extended lifetime and now he could finally put a stop to it.

"We'll meet face to face again soon... Itachi."

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the dream in previous chapters was Pein attempting to contact Sakura.


	6. VI

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is almost at its end. These last few chapters will go pretty quickly. When I wrote this, it was meant as just a means to get my feet wet again in fanfiction, not a long drawn out story. A lot will be left to the imagination.

Sakura had got the hang of using her chakra and hand signals in tandem after many failed attempts. She was only moments away from freeing Itachi. Her heart was pounding with anticipation, her hands were clammy, and there was a bead of sweat trickling down the side of her face. The young woman reached up and twisted her wavy pink locks around her finger. After Pein visited her in her dream, she knew something was about to happen... something  _serious_. He told her that the survivors of Itachi's clan were coming for him. What was an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan? She knew it concerned Itachi's Kekkei Genkai, but how would they get it? So many questions were wracking her brain.

She thought about sharing the dream she had with Itachi. He deserved to know what would happen. She cared about his wellbeing and the young woman couldn't lie to herself about it any longer. Sakura frowned. The crush she developed for Itachi wasn’t logical but didn’t change the intensity of her feelings. Emerald orbs turned to look at the male sitting on a large rock a few feet away. She could tell that he had grown tolerant of her. To her surprise, he had a playful side. One time, Sakura and Itachi got into an argument. She reached down into the lake and splashed water at him out of childish anger. It was only about two drops, but it still was enough to have Itachi lumbering in her direction, smoke billowing from his nostrils. Sakura jumped into the lake and swam away as fast as possible, treading water in the middle of the lake.

"Sakura, come here."

"No way!" she exclaimed. "Catch me if you can!"

"Such an easy task."

Before Sakura could process what he said, Itachi bounded from the edge of the mouth of the cave into the air. Her eyes widened when long wings opened from his back. He could  _fly_?! Well, he was a dragon, but it still caught Sakura off guard. She tried to swim away to the farthest wall. She looked over her shoulder and saw the large black dragon flap his wings to raise his place in the air before nose-diving into the water. His entrance caused a large wave crashed over Sakura's head. The pink haired woman came up sputtering and wiped her eyes.

She looked down and her heart almost stopped when she saw Itachi rocketing towards her from underneath the surface of the water. " _Wait_!"

It was too late. Itachi burst through the water a few feet away and his thick tail wrapped around her, pinning Sakura’s arms to her sides. The dragon pulled her to his face, bright red orbs boring into her.

"I've caught you."

"I see," Sakura stated in a dry voice. "How did you get out of the cave?"

"You do not listen well Sakura," came his smooth voice. "I informed you when you first arrived that my chain restrictions change at Pein's discretion. He agreed with the actions I decided on."

Sakura cocked her head. "What action is that?"

Itachi moved over to the cave opening and placed Sakura down. She gave him a confused look which turned to shock when Sakura saw him raise his tail.

"Don't you dare -"

Her words stopped when a massive wall of water barreled into her. The strength of the wave knocked Sakura flat on her back. As the water seeped back into the lake, Sakura sat up and coughed.

"No fair."

That moment of play allowed them to feel more at ease. It also showed Sakura that although Itachi had been an unapologetic murderer, he had a human side. She still wondered what happened between Itachi and his clan. What drove him to kill them? There had to be a reason. The man she'd gotten to know contemplated actions before executing them. to She would ask Itachi before freeing him. 

They took a short break from training. Itachi taught her how to use her strength with chakra to her advantage. He also taught her how to break free from genjutsu, a jutsu that messed with a person's mind. She earned this world was genjutsu. Their physical bodies were still in the cave. Itachi weakened his genjutsu to let Sakura practice breaking it. Once, she tried while Itachi had his genjutsu at its normal strength and she was almost successful, but Itachi realized what she was doing and almost tore her to pieces, hence she never tried that again.

Her mind returned to the previous thoughts about letting him know what she dreamed. Sakura stood, brushed her hands down her sides, and walked over to him. The quiet male was looking over the rippling water of the river, one leg propped up with his arm resting on it. Sakura sat down next to him and gazed at the river for a moment before turning to him.

"We need to talk."

Itachi's eyes remained constant in their stare. "What is it Sakura? Something is bothering you."

Sakura exhaled. "Yes." She crossed her legs Indian style. "Pein came to me in a dream. He told me that the remaining Uchiha clan are coming for you and I had to defeat them."

Itachi looked up and turned towards her. "So, they have found me. The wait for this battle has stretched over centuries; however, I am not sure how you play a part. Your chakra use progressed faster than I thought. Still, your strength does not begin to rival those of my clan."

“Don’t sound so optimistic,” Sakura snapped. "What is an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?”

"Pein told you about the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?"

Sakura nodded in response.

Itachi stood to his feet and hooked an ebony strand of hair behind his ear. "I suppose I will have to start from the beginning. My clan, the Uchiha clan, has the most powerful ocular jutsu that has ever existed. Before the massacre, other clans possessed types of jutsus different from ours. All our villages were at peace. We had allied with the neighboring people and often accompanied each other on missions.

“My father was the leader of my clan and asked me what I thought about our position on the chain of power. I responded that each of the villages worked equally hard to keep us safe and prosperous. He then informed me he believed we should have total power over all villages and a coupe d'état was in progress. They would use our abilities to become the ultimate source of power over every village. They planned to steal their goods, control their military, and force their people to work for us.

“I did not agree with this and told my father. He believed I would warm up to the idea. I did not. It plagued me night and day that my father wanted to disturb the peace we had with our allies. I discussed this with my wife, Keiko. It astounded me to learn that  _she_  had been the one to bring the idea to my father. The one person I thought I knew was more of a stranger than I'd ever imagined.

“One day, Pein appeared. He showed me what would happen if my clan succeeded with their plan. I could not live with myself if I let them do what they wished. If I did nothing, copious amounts of bloodshed would occur, more than what I have on my hands from ending them. It was then I decimated my clan to save the lives of millions. "

Sakura couldn't believe her ears. His clan was up to no good. Was it worth  _killing_  them though? Sakura voiced this question.

"Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan is paramount to the Uchiha clan," Itachi continued. "When my father realized I disagreed with this enslavement, he confided in my younger brother. They both decided I was a liability. They planned on stealing my eyes and implanting them into my brother. The Mangekyo Sharingan causes blindness with continued use. By implanting another's Mangekyo Sharingan into a user, the blindness will no longer occur."

"So, they want your eyes to prevent blindness?" Sakura questioned. "They must have some bigger plan for the use of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, right? Do you know what it is?"

Itachi looked over into the distance. "They still plan on taking over. They crave power. I do not know what all has changed since my imprisonment here, but I am still their goal to better control the population."

Sakura stood to her feet and moved in front of Itachi. "You killed everyone… including your wife?" When Itachi nodded, Sakura asked, "Well why didn't you kill your brother and father?"

"I could not bring myself to murder my younger brother. My father should have suffered the same fate, but it was Sasuke's begging that caused me to let him live. I did not want to leave Sasuke with no one from his clan to take care of him. That was a grave mistake. They will be here soon."

There was still one more question. "Why did Pein lock you in here if he was the one who warned you of what would happen if your clan succeeded?"

"He did not want me to kill my clan, but that was the only sure way to prevent them from hurting others."

This was a lot. So, it was Itachi's brother and father she would fight? But why her? Itachi was much more powerful than she was, what could _she_ do to help him? She gazed up into his face and her heart beat faster as she looked at his handsome profile. His eyes locked onto hers and didn't think it was possible to look away. Sakura realized she didn't want to be away from Itachi. At first, she was livid and bitter about her situation, but it faded the more time she spent with him.

"Itachi," Sakura breathed. "I'll do whatever I can to help. Now let's free you."

The two walked to a wide area. Sakura took a deep breath, concentrating on the task at hand. She moved into her stance and began the hand signals while pushing chakra into them. The familiar sensation of her chakra being pulled started, and she yelled at the top of her lungs, " Release!"

Sakura felt like her soul was being pulled from her body, but she held strong and soon, the pull stopped too quick and she blacked out.

Sakura awoke to a cool breeze on her cheeks. Cool breeze? Slowly opening her eyes, a sky full of shining stars greeted Sakura. She sat up too fast and immediately regretted it when a throbbing sensation pounded the back of her head. Sakura groaned before looking around. Her vision was clearing, and she searched the area for Itachi. They were outside the cave. She recognized the brush that had entangled her when she first arrived. Relief washed over Sakura when she discovered she was free of that hell hole.

"Itachi?" she called, getting to shaky feet.

No answer came to her. Sakura's heart sunk. So, he used her to free himself and left her. She was desperate to escape the cave, but without Itachi around, she felt... empty.

"You asshole!" she shouted to no one in particular.

"Who are you talking to?"

Sakura whirled around to see Itachi standing behind her, free of chains, and in his human form. Before she realized what she was doing, Sakura ran to him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I thought you had left me," she whispered.

This woman's outburst overwhelmed Itachi, yet he did not free himself from her grasp. In fact, he reached his arms up to encircle them around her shoulders. When she laid her head in the hollow of his shoulder, that familiar twinge ached deep within Itachi once more. He remembered this sensation. He felt it with Keiko. Did he care for this woman?

Sakura looked up at him with a smile and stood on her tiptoes to plant a gentle kiss on his lips. Itachi pulled her closer without a second thought and they kissed like lovers who reunited after years apart.

"Well, this is interesting."

The two stopped and turned. Sasuke leaning against a tree, eyes lit with the Sharingan. A smirk sat confidently on his features.  Sakura's mouth opened in shock.  _Sasuke_ was Itachi's little brother?

 


	7. VII

"Sasuke?!" Sakura exclaimed, dumbfounded at his presence.

At that moment, she understood everything. Why didn't it dawn on her when Itachi first mentioned his clan's name that Sasuke shared the same last name? After all her interest in Sasuke, it didn't even cross her mind. She assumed he may have been a descendant of the clan or just a coincidence. Sasuke must be Itachi's younger brother he could not kill. How did Sasuke live this long? He was in college with her for Kami's sake!

"Well Sakura, I guess you did serve a purpose," Sasuke said, not even looking at her when he spoke. "Thank you for giving me the Mangekyou Sharingan."

"What are your plans Sasuke?!" Sakura shouted while moving closer to Itachi. "How about you fuck o-"

"Shut up," Sasuke retorted with no malice in his voice. "You're annoying as shit. This has nothing to do with you. Leave now or die."

The younger Uchiha pulled a long sword from his back, piercing orbs glaring at his older brother. Its steel glittered like diamonds under the light of the moon. Sakura looked up to see Itachi's Sharingan activated and ready for battle. With one swift movement, Itachi shifted from Sakura's side and closer to his brother.

"Sakura, leave now," Itachi ordered.

"But I-"

" _Now_."

Sakura hesitated before turning on her heels and jumping through the brushes. The two brothers stared each other down, memories burning through their minds. As Itachi gazed at Sasuke, he heard the screams of his clan members running from him as he murdered them without hesitation one by one. Sasuke's heart was burning with hatred, remembering the death of his mother right in front of his eyes. He clenched his fists together, feeling the hurt and agony of seeing his mother's expression go blank when the last drop of her life seeped away.

Sasuke hated his brother, hated him with every fiber of his being. Now he would pay for his crimes. Still, what happened taught him a hard life lesson: corruption was human nature. The cycle would never end because of human traits such as greed, pride, and envy. This plan to control humankind would destroy the cycle, but first, he had to avenge his fallen clan members by destroying Itachi and taking his eyes. His vision had grown blurry and his eyes bled sooner than they used to from constant training.

"I will destroy you," Sasuke promised. "You will pay for what you've done!"

"Is that so?" Itachi responded, facial expression remaining the same. "Do you plan on taking my eyes?"

A smile spread across Sasuke's face. "I will take them. You understand what happens next."

"Enlighten me."

"Don't play stupid with me!" Sasuke roared. "This world stays corrupted with evil, twisted people who need cleansing of such wicked ways. With the Mangekyou Sharingan, I can continue this work for an eternity and I will rebuild the clan you destroyed." Sasuke's expression of anger dissipated as he said, "It seems you have grown fond of Sakura, which means she has worth. I'll start with her first."

Itachi's expression did not change, but inside, something twinged. Was that... jealousy at the thought of his younger brother impregnating Sakura? The older male couldn't deny it, this woman had grown to mean something to him. He was not in love with her, but Itachi found himself enjoying her company as the time passed during her training. Despite his cold exterior, loneliness was inevitable during his time as a dragon. Then came that mess of pink hair stumbling in. Who would have guessed they would form an attraction to one another?

Although he turned his nose up at her begging for her life, he was a little surprised when she offered to free him. No one else who had the misfortune of finding him offered such a thing. He felt Sakura showed just how human she was, how pathetic people were. She'd heard the stories about him, but the woman agreed to free him, anyway. Itachi knew it was more than that as he grew to understand her way of thinking. Sakura accepted she didn't know the whole story about what happened. And even though she called him a monster, Sakura witnessed his human side he had no intention of showing her. She accepted him without knowing why he destroyed his clan.

Itachi focused his attention back on the task at hand. He knew he would not defeat his little brother with his current strength. Before, he longed to face his brother; now his desire changed. Was it because of Sakura? Maybe she had given him something to live for although he shouldn't be alive. He had lived long past the span of a human due to his dragon form so did that mean he was soon to perish? That was not what he wanted. Sakura had brought much curiosity and Itachi secretly wanted to try one of those "apple cinnamon muffins" she always raged.

There was a way to possibly beat Sasuke with Sakura's help. He hadn't told her about it before he sent her away. Then again, his brother had yet to say he planned on using Sakura as his first mistress and Itachi refused to allow that.

"Well," Itachi replied while hooking his right arm into his black robe and activating his Sharingan. "Shall we begin?"

Sasuke responded by rushing at him with his katana raised. "I will destroy you Itachi Uchiha!"

Sakura stopped when she heard the sounds of battle begin. Her heart pounded a mile a minute and her hands shook with adrenaline. Sasuke was Itachi's brother, which meant both were centuries old. It was a lot take in at once, but she should be used to outrageous surprises. Sakura shook her head to rid her mind of those thoughts. The question was, what should she do?  No one would believe her story of jutsus, a dragon, and two men who still lived from the Uchiha clan.

"What should I do?!" 

She looked around at her surroundings, not seeing anything but thick brush, tall grass that had a deep blue hue to it from the moonlight, and a large bird sitting in a tree off to her right. It squawked and flapped its wings in a frantic dance. Green eyes narrowed in confusion as she studied its form more intently. It had a jagged, long beak the same length as its body. A third leg hung from the lower portion of its belly, and cinnamon-colored feathers were sticking up in all directions. Another unusual trait of the bird was it had two black rods sticking out of its neck. How was it still alive?

The bird turned its head and Sakura realized it had Pein's eyes. She would never forget such a haunted stare. Maybe this was one of the summoning creatures Itachi spoke to her about. When Sakura's chakra control increased, she noticed crows flying close by that also had the Sharingan. Itachi told her he was a shinobi prior to his state as a dragon and used them for espionage. That made it all the easier to tell that this ugly bird belonged to Pein. Where was he?

"Smart girl. You've figured that the bird is my summoning."

Sakura whirled around to see Pein standing behind her, the same cloak as Itachi billowing around his ankles. "How did you know?"

Pein stepped closer. "That is not the question you want to ask me Sakura."

He was right. She needed direction on how to help Itachi. Sakura knew he wouldn't want it, but damn it he would get it. She wouldn't get in his way or give Sasuke the upper hand by stepping in.  The thought of losing Itachi wrenched her heart and Sakura would do anything to keep it from happening. She couldn't believe she had fallen for her captor and he for her. It was classic Stockholm syndrome, but the pinkette didn't care. She couldn't take back the feelings she had now.

"What can I do to help Itachi?"

"Why do you want to help him?"

Sakura locked eyes with Pein and stated, "Because he's important to me."

Pein was silent for a few minutes. Yes, Sakura would end this entire war. As the god of Pain, he maintained the balance of good and evil within the world. Pein could end the conflict if he so chose, but as a God, he preferred his vassals to complete the task. He sensed this woman was one of the handful left who could still use chakra. Ninjas had fallen away as technology appeared and advanced. Most humans now did not understand chakra or knew of its existence. She and Itachi's powers complemented each other and if Sakura was not on the battlefield, Itachi would lose and Sasuke gained the Mangekyou Sharingan from that defeat. Sasuke's heart became corrupt and although his intentions included avenging his clan, they would soon change. It was not his place to interfere and alter the world into an unimaginable state of hypnosis.

"You must return him to what he once was."

With that, he disappeared. Sakura didn't understand. Turn him back to what? She wracked her brain trying to figure out what exactly he meant when it dawned on her. A smile cracked her face, and she sprinted like an Olympic track star toward the battle, pushing chakra into her feet to increase her pace to an ungodly speed. Her lessons had a purpose in the real world and she would use it to save Itachi's life.

The two brothers separated and slid to a stop in the dirt. Sasuke gave Itachi a wicked grin "Why don't you destroy me with the Mangekyou Sharingan, or am I too strong for that now?"

Itachi exhaled. Sasuke’s abilities improved exponentially over the years, but his confidence bordered on arrogance. His brother failed to understand the severity of the plan he'd chosen. He opened his mouth to voice his thoughts but paused when he felt that familiar pulse of chakra.

_She has returned_.

Sasuke's gaze turned to see Sakura burst out of the bushes, determination written on her face. She didn't stop to talk, but ran to Itachi, performing hand signs as she went. She slammed her hands against Itachi's chest and searched, just like she had when returning him to human form but hoping her hands against his skin would aid her.

"Just what are you doing?" Sasuke called to her. She ignored him, continuing to explore as fast as she could. He would not let her continue much longer. "Answer me when I'm talking to you!"

Sasuke ran toward them and Sakura knew she was out of time. Just as she thought it was the end, Sakura found what she was looking for and pulled hard enough to make her veins bulge from the strain. Sasuke stopped in his tracks as a blinding light surrounded the area. Wind just as powerful as a category five hurricane blasted around them, causing Sasuke to shield his eyes with his left forearm. Debris flew like projectiles in every direction and trees were leaning painfully due to the force of the wind.

Soon, everything calmed and when Sasuke looked again, his eyes widened in surprise. There stood a large black dragon with Sakura standing on its back. Her fists were glowing with chakra. Sasuke knew the dragon was Itachi. Itachi got released from his dragon form, but he could still return to it?

"Itachi," Sakura said, bending down to rub his sleek scales. "Let's take him down."

He responded by opening his large wings and launching himself from the ground. Black flames Sakura had never seen before erupted from Itachi's mouth. Sasuke dodged and moved towards them at lightning speed. Sakura launched from Itachi's back and slammed her fists into the ground in front of her with the strength of a meteor smashing to the earth. It caved in underneath Sasuke's feet. He jumped over the rocks and raised his katana to strike. Sakura channeled chakra into her fists and grasped the sword with one hand. Despite her preparation, she could still feel the weapon bite into her palm. She ignored the sharp sting and brought her other fist up to connect with Sasuke's face.

When she connected, it sounded like a sonic boom. Sasuke went flying into a large mountain of rocks and slammed into them, causing cracks to emerge around his body. Sakura stood up and hooked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Fuck off Sasuke!"

He pulled himself from the hole shaped like his body, chuckling as he did so. "She has the worth required to carry the Uchiha name. Sakura, you were always after me in school. Anyone could see that. You should join me."

Sakura's eyebrow lifted. Was he serious? That comment made her want to bash his face in. Her anger mounted, and she rushed towards him again, "Never in a million years!"

Suddenly, Sakura was in a pitch-black area. She gazed around frantically but couldn’t see anything. Trying to move her legs was impossible, there was a rope wrapped around her body, constricting her from movement. What was this?!

"Shouldn't be so eager Sakura."

An enormous eye opened just above her. It was massive and there was no mistaking the design of the Sharingan. Itachi stood in front of her with a kunai in one hand.

"Itachi, where am I?" she called. "I heard Sasuke, but where is he?"

"I'm right here," Itachi said, but it was Sasuke's voice that emitted from his mouth.

  
A second later, excruciating pain burned from her abdomen as the kunai sank into her. She screamed when he dragged it from the left lower quadrant of her stomach to the right upper quadrant in a diagonal line.

_Oh no, I'm trapped in Sasuke's genjutsu_ , Sakura thought frantically to herself. She had to flair her chakra as high as it would go to break its hold. Sakura tried to do so, but when Itachi pulled the kunai from her stomach and sank it into the center of her chest, breaking through her sternum, it stopped her in her tracks. She shrieked again at the unfathomable pain radiating through her entire torso. What was she going to do? Sakura struggled to bring herself to flair her chakra due to her pain. She had to push through. There was no other choice.

Trying to ignore the excruciating pain, Sakura flared her chakra to its peak, closing her eyes as she did so. At first, she didn't think she had broken through. That confined sensation still prevented her movement. Sakura opened her eyes to see the forest once again. Confused at why she remained immobilized, Sakura looked down and found that she had tangled herself in vines while lost in Sasuke's genjutsu. The woman freed herself, still able to feel a throbbing pain where the fake Itachi stabbed her. Green orbs moved over her surroundings to see the two brothers locked in a vicious battle.

They separated once more and Sasuke jumped to stand on a tall ledge. He held his hand up to the sky and thunder sounded around her. Black clouds billowed, and lightning erupted from his hand. Sakura's eyes widened as she watched lightning flutter around Sasuke, but never strike him as it lit up the entire sky.

"This is something I didn't think I would have to use," he commented. "But this will be the end Itachi. I will have avenged our clan and can move forward with my plans.

A deep roar echoed around them. Sakura’s mouth dropped when she saw an enormous dragon, made of lightning, emerge from the clouds and position itself next to Sasuke. Its size was unimaginable; the younger Uchiha was a speck compared to it. The blue lightning of its form cracked dangerously.

"Die!" he shouted as he directed the dragon towards Itachi.

The dragon hid itself within the clouds again before emerging and moving with such speed, Sakura's eyes couldn't follow. She shielded herself as an explosion like an atomic bomb denoted around them. The impact uprooted and disintegrated trees within milliseconds. The blast threw Sakura hundreds of feet back. She skidded at least another hundred before slamming into a rock, knocking the breath out of her. Smoke engulfed the area, causing Sakura to coughed hard once her lungs filled. She continued to shield herself as huge pieces of rock and trees pelted her. Once it subsided, the woman looked up, and her heart dropped.

Itachi was lying face first on the ground. He’d reverted back to his human form.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last chapter guys! I hoped you enjoyed this short ride and look for more longer chapter stories from me here soon as I revamp them.


	8. VIII

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the final chapter guys. Remember, I said that this wasn't meant to drag out. It's very short and was meant just to get me back into writing. I will be editing and reposting other longer stories so hang tight. Please let me know your thoughts!

"Why do you always get the same thing?"

"Because it's delicious. Have you had one? It tastes like heaven!"

"You're such a dork!"

"You're just a nonbeliever who will convert one of these days."

The two women snorted. Sakura took another bite of her apple cinnamon muffin. It had been way too long since one of these gifts from the gods gave her taste buds such a blessing. Who invented apple cinnamon muffins, anyway? Sakura needed to hang pictures of her savior on the walls of her apartment. Sakura gazed at her best friend as their laughter subsided; it seemed almost surreal. Amazing things turned her life upside down in the past few months. She wanted to tell Ino how Sasuke turned out to be the brother of the dragon, who did exist, but Sakura knew it wouldn't make any sense because Sasuke disappeared from everyone's memory after his defeat.

During the battle, Sakura thought she had lost Itachi. He was lying motionless on the ground. Her heart felt like it stopped beating. She cried out his name as Sasuke smiled victoriously. Sakura ran to the male's side, she shook his shoulder hard before turning him on his back. There was a deep gash going down the front of his chest that was bleeding profusely. Sakura tried using the tattered material from his cloak to hold pressure on the wound, but it was not helping. Sakura watched Itachi's complexion turned an ashen grey and when he opened his eyes, they were black. They were never that color before.

Sakura panicked when the bleeding wouldn't stop. She crouched over Itachi as Sasuke walked over.

_"This isn't over!" she shouted at the younger Uchiha._

_"It's over. Move out of the way Sakura or you will die."_

Sakura ignored the bastard and placed her hands on Itachi's chest. His heart was fluttering under her fingers. Thinking fast, Sakura flared her chakra into her hands, trying to push them into the wounds. Maybe she could give Itachi some of her chakra and he would be okay. At first, nothing was happening, and Sakura was becoming frantic. She forced her way forward and felt a sudden pulling sensation coming from Itachi, his color returning.

Sakura's smile faded as she reminisced about that horrible moment. She thought Itachi would die, but he was returning right in front of her eyes. That did not please Sasuke. The pinkette ran a finger over the scar that now lined her right side. Sasuke slashed her for what she did, and she would never forget that searing pain that erupted from the wound. Afterward, Sakura jumped further away from her assailant and grit her teeth at Sasuke.

_"So, you need the help of a pathetic girl to beat me?" Sasuke said, ignoring Sakura. "You're weaker than I thought."_

The younger brother moved to attack the elder one, but when he was about ten feet away, a bright light emitted from Itachi and he was once again in his dragon form.

_"I will not underestimate you again little brother,” Itachi spoke as they locked in battle once more._

"Hey! Whoo-hoo Sakura? Where is your brain?!"

Sakura shook her head from the memory and frowned at her friend. "Am I not allowed to think?!"

"You don't have the brain capacity for thinking."

"Shut up!"

Ino laughed and took a sip of her cinnamon mocha iced coffee. Her face turned serious. "So, tell me how you met that gorgeous hunk!"

It was true; Itachi was still in her life. He was thousands of years old yet didn't wither away when he reverted to human form. Sakura vowed to spend as much time as possible with him. She didn't know if he'd disappear one day.

"I met him in the library," Sakura blurted out before finishing the last of her muffin. "I'm about to go meet him on the boardwalk soon. See you later!"

Sakura exited quickly before her nosy friend could pry anymore. The sun was just setting, and the young woman stood outside for a moment, enjoying the warmth embracing her. An orange hue loomed over the trees and a breeze enveloped her. Sakura stopped herself from placing her arms out and just looking up at the beautiful sunset. Remembering she needed to meet Itachi, Sakura got into her car and headed to his location. Her heart beat like a drum with anticipation of seeing his handsome face. It was true she didn't witness the final blow between him and Sasuke. She passed out from blood loss beforehand, but when she woke up, Sakura found herself in a cabin. Her eyes widened in disbelieve.

"Naruto?"

The male gave her a huge grin. "How are you feeling Sakura-chan?"

"I hate it when you call me that."

Naruto chuckled before picking up a glass of water and holding it to her lips. She didn't realize how parched her throat was until she the crisp scent of the water hit her nostrils. Sakura gulped, causing Naruto to pull back.

"Take it easy," he warned. "I don't need you puking it all back up."

Sakura rolled her eyes before easing to a sitting position. Naruto fussed at her again, but she didn't hear him. Beryl orbs searched for Itachi and her spirit sank when she realized it was just her and Naruto in the room.

Naruto picked up on her change in attitude. "He'll be right back. No need to worry."

That picked Sakura up and her attention focused on Naruto. Just what was he doing out here? She voiced her question and Naruto moved to go pull up a chair. She couldn't believe her ears.

"I've known all along that the dragon was real," he started. " I had found him myself a few months back. He tried to kill me at first, but we ended up just talking. After hearing his side, I knew you could help him."

"How did you know?" Sakura questioned.

Naruto smiled. "Because I could see your chakra network was lying dormant. Majority of people don't have a chakra network anymore. And even though it wasn't awake, it was trying to. All you needed was someone to give it a push."

How could he see her chakra network? Those answers just brought a thousand more questions. Who was Naruto? Had he lived for years like Itachi? Sakura was about to open her mouth to continue her interrogation, but at that moment, the wooden door swung open and there he stood.

"Itachi," Sakura breathed.

He had many injuries all over his body, but Itachi seemed fine. He deactivated his Sharingan, too She was unaware he could turn it off. When she studied him, Sakura found that she liked the darker version of his eyes. It made him look more... human. Itachi shrugged off his cloak and placed it on the floor.

"Thank you for your assistance, Naruto," Itachi said as he moved to her side.

Sakura reached for his hand in a flash and placed it against her cheek. Itachi watched the display, unsure of how to respond. This woman wormed her way into his being and brightened his dark heart. She dropped his hand and motioned for him to lean down. Their lips crashed together. Sakura wrapped her arms around his shoulders while Itachi moved his hands to either side of his face. It surprised him when Sakura's tongue brushed against his teeth, asking for entrance. It didn't take long for Itachi to allow her access and deepen their kiss.

"Gross, get a room, you perverts!"

Sakura broke away from her lover and glared at Naruto. "You're just jealous because you're all alone. You wouldn't be if you stopped being a dunce and realized Hinata likes you!"

Naruto hung his head. "That's not nice Sakura-chan..."

Sakura giggled before parking and getting out of her car. She could see him from where she stood. Sakura gazed at him for a moment. His long hair had grown about an inch since his release back into human form. He now wore clothes from the time he was in, black muscle shirt and jeans covering his body. Sakura admired his muscular form before closing the gap between them. Itachi turned, knowing she was there long before he saw her.

Sakura smiled at him before saying, "I can't believe this happened."

"I agree," was his short answer before moving her in front of him. His warm embrace wrapped around her and Sakura leaned her head against his shoulder.

Sakura didn't know what would happen next. She had yet to encounter Pein. Her deepest fear was that he would return and say Itachi had to go with him. Sakura's heart sank with Itachi spoke those exact words.

"You're leaving me?"

"Yes," Itachi answered. "I have far exceeded my life expectancy on this Earth."

Sakura tried to stop the tears threatening to fall. "How long before you have to go?"

"I do not know."

Sakura failed at holding back her tears. She turned, buried her face into Itachi's chest, and sobbed. This man meant everything to her. It must have been something special if she fell so hard for him after what had happened. Why did fate have to turn around and kick her in the crotch after she found happiness? Itachi continued to hold her.

"But there is one thing."

Sakura sniffed before turning her tear-streaked face up to look at him. "What's that?"

"I will come back," Itachi answered. "I do not know when, but will you wait for me Sakura?"

 She'd wait until the end of time for his return. He was her rock, the fire that burned within her. She'd never forget those crimson eyes. She had been through hell and high water with this man and Sakura realized she was falling in love with him.

"Yes," Sakura breathed. "I'll wait for you Itachi."

They kissed for an instant before Itachi grasped Sakura's hand and pulled her towards the water's edge. The two of them kicked off their shoes before moving to ankle deep in the water. It chilled Sakura's feet a little. A shell caught her attention and Sakura reached down to pick it up. It broke down the center, but her eyes widened at the shape it had taken. The shell held an interesting asymmetrical shape and it glittered when she turned it over in her hand. Itachi saw her pick it up.

"Do you like it?"

“It’s very pretty,” Sakura answered. “I love how red it is.” She gave him a watery smile. “It’s are red as your Sharingan.”

Itachi’s gaze never left the water. "Hold on to until I return to ensure you will not forget about me."

The pinkette held the shell up to her chest, planning to make it into a necklace. “I could never forget you Itachi. You or those crimson eyes.”


End file.
